Folding chair



Nov. 22, 71%. ct. THOMSON FOLDING CHAIR Filed Jan. 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l ROY CAMPBELL THOMSON HLS ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1938. R. c. THOMSON 7 2,137,427

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Jan. 28, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR g] Roy CHHPBELL. momsou ffiv g w ,MAM

ms A'rrdeNEYs Nov. 22, 1938; R. c. THOMSON FOLDING CHAIR .Filed Jan. 28, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Rev CAMPBELL THOMSON flw HIS ATIORNEYS Patented Nov. 22, 1938 PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR Roy Campbell Thomson, London, England Application January 28, 1937, Serial No. 122,752 In Great Britain February 21, 1936 7 Claims.

This invention relates to folding chairs and is especially applicable to chairs comprising a pivoted X-shaped frame and generally known as deck chairs.

According to the invention there is provided. in or for a deck chair, a head-rest comprising side-supports hinged or adapted to be hinged on the chair-frame for adjustment backwards and forwards and an adjustable strut for engagement with the chair-frame to vary the position of the head-rest.

A feature of the invention consists in that the head-rest comprises two struts pivotally mounted, one on each of the side-supports and provided with spaced projections for engagement with the chair-frame, a flexible part extending between the side-supports and a cross-link connecting struts at a position spaced away from their ends.

The pressure of the head on the flexible part of the head-rest draws the two side-supports towards one another so that, due to the provision of the cross-link the outer ends of the struts are moved outwardly away from one another, so that their projections engage with the co-operating projections on the chairframe, to hold'the headrest in position. The movement of the two sidesupports towards one another is conveniently permitted by reason of slight play in the pivotal mounting of these supports or the resilience of the supports themselves.

According to a feature of'the invention there is provided the combination of a folding chair and a head-rest comprising side-supports pivotally mounted on the chair-frame for adjustment of the position of the head-rest, a flexible part extending between these side-supports, a pair of rearwardly-extending struts pivotally mounted, one on each of said side-supports, which strut members are each provided with a plurality of outwardly-directed spaced projections for engagement with projections on the chair-frame and a cross-link. connecting the struts at a position spaced away from their ends.

In a preferred construction, a fixed guide is provided on the chair-frame for each of the rearwardly-extending struts and means is preferably provided for looking the struts in the guides.

A feature of the invention consists in the combination with a chair having a head-rest as aforesaid, of a tent or like frad e comprising two front pillars detachably mounted on side-members of the chair-frame and two rear pillars detachably mounted upon the side-supports of the head-rest, which rear pillars are at least in part flexible and are bent over and detachably connected to the upper ends of the front pillars. Preferably, a cross-bar is detachably connected to the upper ends of the front pillars and serves also to lock the ends of the rear pillars when connect-ed therewith.

A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of a deck chair in which the headrest aforesaid extends beyond the main frame, and the main frame is itself made correspondingly shorter. In this manner, the chair when folded is appreciably. shorter than a deck chair of normal construction.

An embodiment of the invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective View. of a deck chair provided with a head-rest and tent frame;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l with the tent cover in place;

Figure 3 is aside elevation of the head-rest in A place on the chair;

Figure 4 is a plan of the head-rest viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 in Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views of the head-rest showing the manner of its operation;

Figures '7 to 10 show details of the tent frame;

Figure 11 is an elevation of a deck chair in which the head-rest extends beyond the main frame, and

Figure 11ais a detail thereof.

Like references indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings there is shown a deck chair of normal construction comprising two frame-parts I'D and H pivoted together, a stay-frame l2 pivoted to the frame-part l0 and a flexible seat l3 secured to opposite ends of the frame parts It and H. On each side-member the of the frame-part Hi, there is secured a bracket M conveniently of U-shape, the limbs of which bracket extend upwardly beyond the frame. Between the limbs of each bracket 14 there is pivotally mounted a sidesupport [5 of the head-rest, and a strip 56 of canvas, or other flexible material, is secured to the two side-supports l5.

On the inner side of each of the side-supports l5 there is pivotally mounted a strut I1 and each of these struts is provided with a plurality of projections it for engagement with a projection 19 at the top and at the inner side of the framemember Illa.

The struts H are arranged to slide on the normal top bar 2! of the frame-part H), to which bar the upper end of the flexible seat I3 is connected. Each strut is retained in position on the bar 2| by means of a guide consisting of a bracket 22 secured to the upper end of the frame-member I0a and overlying the strut I I.

In use, when no pressure is applied to the flexible part I6 of the head-rest, there is no effort to force any of the projections I8 into engagement with the co-operating projections I9 on the chairframe, so that, as will be seen from Figure 5, the head-rest can easily be adjusted about the pivotal mounting of its side-supports. When pressure is applied to the flexible part It of the headrest the several parts take up the positions shown in Figure 6. The outer ends of the supporting side-members are drawn slightly together and thus the struts I I, pivoting about their connection to the cross-link 20, are forced outwardly at their outer ends to bring the projections I 8 into engagement with the projections I9, the projections I8 which have effect being those next adjacent tothe projections I9 in the selected position of the head-rest. Thus, the head-rest may be very easily adjusted by the user while actually seated in the chair.

In order to prevent the struts II from being drawn clear of the bar 2 I, a stop 23 is provided on each of these struts to engage with the bracket 22. These stops 23 are hinged to enable them to be folded fiat against the strut I! in order to permit the struts I! to be withdrawn for folding up the chair. Thus, in the folded position of the chair the side-supports I5 of the head-rest can be turned either forwardly or backwardly down on to the side-members It'a of. the frame, and the struts I! are in turn folded down to lie just within the supports I5. Locking means consisting of a thumb-screw 24 screw-threaded in each of the guide-brackets 22 is conveniently provided rigidly to lock the struts in any selected position by clamping them against the frame-bar 2 I.

In order to provide for the attachment of the tent frame each of the side-members IIrz of the frame-part II has secured to its forward end a plate 30 formed with a hole 3| having a key-slot 32 (see Figures 7 to 9). Two front pillars 33 are detachably connected to the plates 3!! and for this purpose each pillar 33 is provided with a spigot 34 entering in the hole 3I and a lateral pin 35 which is passed through the slot 32 and is moved behind the plate 30 by turning the pillar 33, in order toretain the latter in. position.

In the top of each of the side supports i5 of the head-rest there is secured a stirrup member providing between the stirrup and the side-sup port I5 2. socket to receive the lower part 3! of a rear pillar of the tent frame. The lower part 31 of each rear pillar is conveniently of rigid construction and is secured to an upper part 33 which is flexible and is constructed for example of spring steel. The resilient part 38 of each rear pillar is bent over to engage under a strap 39 at the upper end of the corresponding front pillar 33. A cross bar 40 is provided to connect the upper ends of the pillars and this cross-bar has at each end a right-angled portion M engaging in a hole in the end of the flexible part 38 of the rear pillar and in a staple 42 secured to the front pillar. The cross-bar 4D is preferably wider than the chair so that the pillars 33 are splayed outwardly towards the top. The lower part 3'! of each rear pillar is slightly twisted so that the upper flexible part 38 may readily be bent down to the upper ends of the front pillars. The tent frame thus provided is adapted to receive a tent covering as indicated at 43 in Figure 2. The tent frame is thus easily assembled and dismantled and comprises when dismantled only a small number of parts which are all straight and can therefore be easily packed.

In a modification of the chair as shown in Figure 1, the head-rest is arranged to extend beyond the main frame andthe main frame is itself made correspondingly shorter. For instance, as shown in Figure 11 the side-supports I5 of the head rest are secured to extension strips 45 pivotally mounted on the side-members i2a of the stayframe I2 of the chair. The struts I7 are pivoted to lateral extension brackets I5a (Figure 11a), secured to the side-supports I5 of the head-rest in order that the struts may be folded within the frame part I Ila in the folded position of the chair. The struts I'I engage with the top of the framemembers Illa, which in this instance, are shorter than is usual. In the lowest position of the headrest I6 it is substantially co-extensive with the main seat I3 so that the total length of the chair may be at least as: long as the normal construction of deck chair as shown in Figure 1. In the folded condition, however, the head-rest IE folds forwardly on to the frame-part I0 and the framepart I lean conveniently be of shorter dimensions without materially affecting the nature of the chair, i. e., of the same length as the shortened frame-part III. A chair which is short and compact in the folded condition is thus provided.

I claim:-

1. In a chair, the combination with a chair frame, of a head-rest comprising side-supports, a flexible rest member extending between and carried by said side-supports, means for hinging said side-supports on the chair frame, two struts pivotally mounted at their forward ends one on each of said side-supports, a cross link pivotally connecting the said struts intermediate their ends, engaging means on the outer sides of the res ends of said struts, co-operating engaging means on said chair frame engaging said means on the struts, whereby pressure applied to the flexible rest member spreads the rear ends of the struts apart to bring the engaging means thereon into engagement with the co-operating engaging means on the chair frame.

2. In a chair the combinatio with c air frame of a head-rest comprising side-supports, a flexible rest member extending between and carried by said side-supports, means for hinging said side-supports on the chair frame, two struts pivotally mounted at their forward ends one on each of said side-supports and provided with outwardly-directed spaced projections at their rear ends for engagement with the chair frame, and a cross-link pivotally connecting said struts intermediate their ends.

3. In a chair comprising a folding chair frame and a head-rest, the combination of head-rest side-supports pivotally mounted on said frame, a flexible rest member extending between and carried by said side-supports, a pair of rearwardlyextendingstruts pivotally mounted at their forward ends one on each of said side-supports, which struts are each provided at their rear ends with a plurality of outwardly-directed spaced projections, a cross link pivotally connecting said struts intermediate their ends, guides on said chair frame for receiving said struts and projecting means therein and means carried by said frame for engagement by the projections on said struts when pressure is applied to the flexible rest member.

4. A folding chair according to claim 3, comprising means for locking the struts in the said uides.

5. In a folding chair, the combination with a chair frame of a head-rest comprising side-supports pivotally mounted one on each side of the chair frame, a flexible rest member extending between said side-supports, a pair of rearwardlyextending struts pivotally mounted at their forwardly ends one on each of said side-supports, which struts extend within the chair frame and are each provided with a plurality of outwardlydirected spaced projections at their rear ends for engagement with the chair frame, a cross link pivotally connecting said struts intermediate their ends, means for locking said struts in fixed relation with the chair frame, two front pillars detachably mounted one on each side of the chair frame at the front of the chair, two rear pillars detachably mounted upon said side supports of the head-rest, which rear pillars are flexible for at least part of their length and are bent forwardly and means for detachably connecting the upper ends of the rear pillars to the upper ends of the front pillars respectively.

6. Ina folding chair, the combination with a chair frame of a head-rest comprising sidesupports pivotally mounted one on each side of the chair frame, a flexible rest-member extending between said side-supports, a pair of rearwardly-extending struts pivotally mounted. at their forward ends one on each of said side-supports, which struts extend within the chair frame and are each provided with a plurality of outwardly directed spaced projections at their rear ends for engagement with the chair frame, a cross-link pivotally connecting said struts intermediate their ends, means for locking said struts in fixed relation with the chair frame, two front pillars detachably mounted one on each side of the chair frame at the front of the chair, two rear pillars detachably mounted upon said side supports of the head-rest, which rear pillars are flexible for at least part of their length and are bent forwardly to engage the upper ends of the front pillars respectively, and a cross-bar detachably connected to the upper ends of the front pillars.

7. In a chair the combination of a chair frame of a head-rest comprising two side-supports, means for hinging said side-supports on the chair frame for adjustment backwards and forwards, two struts pivotally mounted at their forward ends, one on each of said side-supports and provided at their rear ends with spaced abutments, a flexible member extending between the said side-supports and a cross-link pivotally connecting the struts intermediate their pivotal mounting and their rearward ends, said chair frame being provided with abutments engaged respectively vby the said abutments on the two struts by relativeoutward movement of the rear ends of the struts.

ROY CAMPBELL THOMSON. 

